Chelsea to buy extra medals after winning EPL title

Chelsea will buy extra medals and replica trophies to reward their whole squad for their title success.

Premier League rules state that players have to make at least five appearances to be eligible for a medal, but the likes of Mohamed Salah and Andre Schurrle will also be rewarded by the club.

Schurrle moved to Wolfsburg in January and Salah is on loan at Fiorentina, but both have been invited to join in the celebrations, with even the youth team set to receive accolades.

Blues boss Jose Mourinho says the players still 'belong' and deserve to be recognised.

He said: “The invite has been sent out to Schurrle, Salah, Mark Schwarzer (now at Leicester City), Lewis Baker (who has been on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons), all of them who started the season with us.

“They have been invited to the last match against Sunderland and the Chelsea Player of the Year dinner. They still belong.

“We are not sure if they all can make it, Lewis can, we are not sure about the others. But at least they know they belong to us winning the title. They are champions like us.

“I know that by the rules they only give a medal to a player had five appearances and there are some who won’t get an official medal.

“But we are going to buy medals, replicas of the cup and for me the champions are the ones who played every minute like John Terry, but a champion is also Schwarzer who has not played a minute.”

Chelsea take a back seat this weekend to watch the battle for the places below them pan out, ahead of travelling to the Hawthorns to face West Brom on Monday evening.